OSTRAVA GRAND PRIX is now bigger than ever before. The tournament as the one of the  most significant tournaments in Czech republic has been placed among the qualifying tournaments for Czech National Championship Up to 13 years and Senior categories. We expect  for this year even more superior participation than in the last year and we believe that Saturday, 25th October 2008 will turn into the real celebration of Karate we will all remember for a long time. ***

202 contestants from 7 Slovakian, 4 Polish and 17 Czech clubs came again to pit their strengths against each other at the Ostrava Grand Prix. The organizers – karate clubs VSK VSB-TUO and KARATE TYGR SHOTOKAN relocated its 5th year into a respectable setting of the SAREZA sports hall in Ostrava – Privoz. This move has brought an array of benefits. The kata competition was held on 4 tatami mats. The participants could use spacious dressing rooms with showers and sanitary facilities, warm up in the second hall on a tatami mat or take some refreshment in a restaurant inside SAREZA. Referees and guests could spend their free time in the VIP room.

The President of the Moravian-Silesian Region, Mr Evzen Tosenovsky, under whose auspices the tournament was held, took part in the ceremonial opening. Mr Vladimir Kebo, the Vice-chancellor of VSB – Technical University of Ostrava for cooperation with industry and Mr Lumir Kuchar, who represented the main partner of the tournament - the largest Czech steel company, Mittal Steel Ostrava a.s., addressed the attendees together with Mr Tosenovsky. Ms Katerina Korandova from Zdravotni pojistovna ministerstva vnitra CR (Health Insurance Company of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic) – an important partner of the competition, was also among the guests and presented prizes to the winners together with the 2nd EUROPESPORT vice-miss, Ms Tereza Juscikova.

From left Lumir Kuchar (MSO), Vladimir Kebo (VSB-TUO) and Katerina Korandova (ZP MV CR).	General Director of the competition, Vladimir Ryska together with Vlastimil Hrncir give a pottery statue to the President of the Moravian-Silesian Region, Evzen Tosenovsky

The beginning and the end of the ceremonial opening was livened up by two competition aerobics compositions performed by female gymnasts from the sports aerobics club FIT & FUN Ostrava, which has been, under the leadership of Jana Jurcakova, representing North Moravia at various competitions for several years. The girls were placed 9th and 11th with the shown compositions in recent championship of the Czech Republic among the fierce competition.

“Down in the mine”	“From dusk till dawn”

108 contestants took part in KATA competition. The final of all categories was concentrated into a single block, which was held after the ceremonial line-up, watched by TV cameras on the tatami mat lit by floodlights. Five referees were deciding on the winners.

The most numerous category was the “younger cadets - boys” category. The winner among the 29 contestants was Ronald Prokes (Sport Club Flair). Patricie Klapalova (Karate VSK VSB-TUO) won the “younger cadets - girls” category. Filip Saidl (KARATE TYGR SHOTOKAN) won the “older cadets - boys” category and Kristyna Pucanova (TJ Jesenik) the “older cadets - girls” category. The best younger boy junior in KATA competition was Jakub Debrecenyi (Karate VSK VSB-TUO) and the best younger girl junior was Denisa Novakova (Sport Club Flair). Marek Aberl (SVC DOMECEK BRNO St. Liskovec) won the juniors – boys category. The best girl junior was Alzbeta Chovancova (TJ Jesenik). The favourite Piotr Szymala (Shindo Cieszyn) won the men and junior category. Marta Szymczak (Budokan Wroclaw) took the gold medal away from Ostrava for her victory in the category of women and female juniors.

There was very stiff competition in boys and men KUMITE categories. The spectators could see many excellent and attractive fights, particularly in junior and men categories.

Libor Vlcek (Laugaricio Trencin) and Juraj Kvocek (Karate klub SHISEI Trnava) were placed first in the “younger cadets - boys” category. Filip Doliska (TJ Baník Havirov), Tomas Skorpik (SK Budo Havirov) and Adrian Gregus (Karate klub Zvolen) were the best in the “older cadets - boys” category. Gold medals in the “older cadets - girls” categories were won by Jitka Prochazkova (TJ Jesenik), Martina Stokova (SK Budo Havirov) and Petra Pavelkova (TJ Jesenik). Petr Muller (TJ Jesenik), Jan Gorlinski (TJ Banik Havirov) and Viliam Krizan (Laugaricio Trencin) came first in the “younger juniors - boys” categories. Marketa Rozenska (TJ Jesenik) and Alexandra Zahumenska (SK Budo Havirov) came first in the “younger juniors - girls” categories. Golden medals for the first places in the “juniors” categories were won by Adam Horvath (TJ Banik Havirov), Tomas Riska (CMK Banska Bystrica) and Artur Roztropinski (Budokan Wroclaw). The best female junior was Ivana Ducova (CMK Banska Bystrica). The best ones among the „men and juniors“ were Pavol Tuleja (Rapid Bratislava), Andrzej Studzinski (Budokan Wroclaw) and Bartlomiej Soltysiak (Budokan Wroclaw). Lenka Sigmundová (TJ Jesenik) and Agnieszka Szumlanska (Budokan Wroclaw) came first in the „women, juniors“ categories.

The main prize, the OSTRAVA GRAND PRIX Open Cup donated by Zdravotni pojistovna MV CR was won by Vaclav Machan from TJ Jesenik, when he in the dramatic final of the kumite competition in the “men multi-weight” category defeated the favourite Vaclav Havlu from the Karvina club TJ Banik 1. maj.

Not only composition of contestants was international but also the composition of referees. The main referee, Jiri Lovecky (4th Dan), was in charge of a group consisting of 14 Czech, 3 Slovakian and 3 Polish referees.

Spectators were present in the hall during the entire duration of competitions until evening hours. For many of them it was the first time they could see a karate competition. We believe that the performance of contestants fascinated them enough to join us and become fans of this sport and beautiful martial art.

The referees greet the contestants and the spectators. From left Jiri Lovecky, Duso Hajmach, Vlastimil Sekanina, Milos Skoda and others	Happy face of Michal Geller, Organisational Director of the Tournament, during discussions with his assistant, Petr Vanecek

Judging from responses of the present coaches, contestants, tournament partners and spectators, to whom we had the opportunity to talk, the competition met and maybe even surpassed many expectations. As every competition, also this one had certain reserves (shortcomings, if you want to call them this way). We can mention lack of representatives from other central European countries except for Poland and Slovakia or relatively low number of contestants from Bohemia or some organisational matters. Similarly like at other events of this type, the KUMITE competition drew out a bit. In such a situation it is difficult to maintain the festive character of the tournament to its very end.

This problem should be resolved already at the next year of the tournament because it is planned to be held for two days, preliminary on 24 and 25 February 2007. This will not only allow to include all KATA and KUMITE categories according to WKF or as the case may be Czech Karate Federation rules but also to schedule the KUMITE final fights into Sunday programme of the ceremonial ending of the tournament similarly like it was organised at KATA competition. We believe that the next year of this tournament will be in many aspects again better than the previous one. (fs)

► Gallery of individual categories winners
► Results for download - cz (doc)
► Photogallery – 1^st part
► Photogallery – 2^st part
► Photogallery – 3^st part

External references:
► Discussion on karate-info
► Discussion on the North Moravian Karate Union website
 

► Other Partners of the Tournament